Puerto Rico Health Insurance

Medical insurance for those living or working in Puerto Rico. Customized Puerto Rico health insurance plans and quotes available.

Puerto Rico is located in the Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic, and in between the Caribbean Sea and the north Atlantic sea. Populated for centuries by indigenous locals, Puerto Rico was discovered and colonized by the Spanish in 1493, following Columbus′s second voyage to the America′s. In 1898 after 400 years of Spanish reigns, cheap African slaves were introduced to the region as a means of working the land, as the indigenous populations were nearly exterminated.

Later that year Puerto Rico was ceded to the U.S by the Spanish crown following the Spanish - America war, and all Puerto Rican citizens were given U.S citizenship in 1917. Following this the Puerto Rican health care system became very much like that of the United States.

Puerto Rico Medical Insurance News

Puerto Rico is located in the Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic, and in between the Caribbean Sea and the north Atlantic sea. Populated for centuries by indigenous locals, Puerto Rico was discovered and colonized by the Spanish in 1493, following Columbus′s second voyage to the America′s. In 1898 after 400 years of Spanish reigns, cheap African slaves were introduced to the region as a means of working the land, as the indigenous populations were nearly exterminated. Later that year Puerto Rico was ceded to the U.S by the Spanish crown following the Spanish - America war, and all Puerto Rican citizens were given U.S citizenship in 1917.

As a territory of the US, Puerto Rico′s health system is based on that of the US′s health system which consists of a mainly privately funded healthcare system. This means for Puerto Ricans, like their mainland counterparts, individuals have to take out their own forms of medical insurance, instead of relying on the state to take care of their health needs.

Medical facilities in Puerto Rico, like the US, are of very high standard, the best on offer on the Caribbean. However, as one of the states of America it is one of the unhealthiest states/territories of America. In Puerto Rico, out of all 52 states of America, has an average, consumes the most alcohol, does the least exercise, has the highest cases of asthma, and has the second highest rate of death by HIV and the highest rate of diabetes.

Thus said, it also is home to many tropical diseases and therefore a few different immunizations are recommended for those who wish to travel there. These include Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid and all the routine vaccinations, namely measles/mumps/rubella, diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus, and polio virus.

However despite being apparently the unhealthiest of all states/territories of America, it retains a higher life expectancy rate, than the mainland. Puerto Rico′s life expectancy rate is 78.53 compared with the mainland′s 78.1. This highlights that although it maybe one of the unhealthiest states/territories in America, it also has one of the best healthcare systems.

The US spends approximately around 7.5-8% of its annual GDP on healthcare and services, this rate of expenditure is fairly standard across many other developed nations including the UK and Australia. US citizens planning to travel to Puerto Rico will still be covered by their local US plan, however it is advised you check prior to leaving so as to be absolutely sure.

Overall Puerto Rico has a well rounded healthcare service. As is true with any country in the world, there are some problems inherent in the system; however most people are able to receive the care that they need when they need it, despite being on a fairly remote Caribbean island. The only way to avoid the issues and concerns of any healthcare system in the world is through a quality international health insurance plan. These Puerto Rica expat health insurance plans give you the flexibility to go to the doctor or hospital of your choice, meaning that no matter where in the world you may be located, from Austria to the Zambia, you will always be able to receive the highest standard of care available.

Puerto Rico Travel Tips

Whenever you travel overseas it is often useful to understand the local laws and customs in the destination country, as they can often be very different to your own. Puerto Rico′s legal system is basically a carbon copy of U.S federal law with extra state laws applying on top of that. These laws should be very straight forward and logical to any western travelers, however to avoid any possible mix up we have provided some Puerto Rico travel advice so that you may stay safe and better enjoy your travels.

Please be advised that the information contained on this page is not fully comprehensive and may be liable to change without prior warning; as such you should consult a travel expert or your local embassy prior to departing on your journey.

The hurricane season normally runs from June to November. Visitors traveling to Puerto Rico during this time should be prepared to face extreme weather conditions.

Visitors should be aware of tropical diseases which can particularly become present during the wet seasons.

Due to its United States parenting, Puerto Rico has taken on its motherland′s car culture as its own, and as such there is minimal quality public transport, as everyone in Puerto Rico prefers to drive. Because of this when taking the public transport it may be annoying even frustrating at times, and taxis for those who do not know the area is recommended.

As per the normal when traveling to run down areas, or slum you should bear in mind the following, avoid wearing expensive jewellery and carrying valuable items, do not sleep in your car by the roadside or in rest areas, avoid leaving items on display in cars, try to stay on main roads and use well-lit car parks, if hit from behind while driving, indicate to the other driver to follow you to a public place and call 911 for Police help.

It is possible to use an international driving license whilst in Puerto Rico; drivers should be able to present this document upon request whilst in control of a vehicle.

Do not make flippant remarks about bombs or terrorism, especially when passing through US airports, as threats of this nature are taken very seriously in the US.

Laws vary from state to state, including speed limits and the age of consent. So does the age at which you may legally buy and consume alcohol, however this is usually 21 years of age.

Dengue fever is a viral infection found throughout the Caribbean and Central America. In Puerto Rico, the incidence usually peaks during the rainy season between September and November. Dengue is transmitted by mosquitoes, which tend to bite during the daytime and are usually found close to urban development, often indoors. They breed primarily in artificial water containers such as discarded tires, cans, jars, barrels, plastic containers, cisterns and metal drums. As a result, dengue is especially common in densely populated particularly run down urban environments.

For more information about traveling to Puerto Rico, health insurance plans that we can offer there, or to receive a free customized quote, please contact one of our dedicated advisors today.

About Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico is located in the Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic, and in between the Caribbean Sea and the north Atlantic sea. Populated for centuries by indigenous locals, Puerto Rico was discovered and colonized by the Spanish in 1493, following Columbus′s second voyage to the America′s. In 1898 after 400 years of Spanish reigns, cheap African slaves were introduced to the region as a means of working the land, as the indigenous populations were nearly exterminated. Later that year Puerto Rico was ceded to the U.S by the Spanish crown following the Spanish - America war, and all Puerto Rican citizens were given U.S citizenship in 1917. Following this the Puerto Rican health care system became very much like that of the United States.

Whenever you travel to a new country it can be daunting and because of this it is often important to have some background information on your destination. Because of this we have provided a general outline of Puerto Rico below. Please be advised that information contained in this page is subject to change without prior warning or knowledge, and as such you should consult an expert for the most accurate details.

Official Name: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

Capital: San Juan

Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic

Size: 13,790 sq km, comparatively this is slightly bigger than Vanuatu and slightly smaller than The Bahamas

Climate: Puerto Rico experiences a tropical climate that includes a hot humid rainy season and a hot and relatively less humid dry season.

Population: Puerto Rico has a population of 3.95 million people, slightly less than that of New Zealand.

Life expectancy at birth: The life of an average Puerto Rican at birth is usually 78.58 years.

Major illnesses: Puerto Rico does not normally experience outbreaks of any major illnesses, however Central American disease′s, such as dengue fever, outbreaks can occur.

Government: Puerto Rico is part of the American Commonwealth, and operates as an organized territory of the U.S.

Head of State: President elect Barack Obama is the current head of state for Puerto Rico.

Economy: Puerto Rico has one of the most diverse economies in the Caribbean region. The industrial manufacturing section has largely taken over the agriculture section of the economy in terms of income, only to be surpassed by the services section of the economy. Encouraged by duty-free access to the US markets and by tax incentives, large US firms have invested heavily in Puerto Rico since the 1950s. Dairy production and other livestock products are the main source of income in the agricultural sector, accounting for over 50%. Tourism has traditionally been an important source of income, with estimated arrivals of nearly 5 million tourists in 2004, mainly from the mainland. Growth fell off in 2001-03, largely due to the slowdown in the US economy. However it recovered in 2004-05 to show good real GDP development.

GDP: Puerto Rico has a USD purchasing power of $74.15 billion.

For more information about Puerto Rico, the health insurance plans that we can offer there, or to receive a free quote, please contact one of our expert advisors today.